


In the dark of night

by Storming_Raumo



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Platonic Relationships, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-29 00:51:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12619384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storming_Raumo/pseuds/Storming_Raumo
Summary: In the castle of lions, nights are usually peaceful and quiet. Exceptions happen and sometimes, the only thing you can do is watch.





	In the dark of night

It was a peaceful night at the Castle of Lions. Everyone had already retired to their bedrooms and were sleeping peacefully. Well, everyone but two people.

“I’m telling you, you should have gone for him!”

Lance and Allura were wide awake, sitting on Lance’s bed, doing their nails and talking their way through the night. Allura’s hand laid in Lance’s own as he stroked another layer of coating onto her nails.

“I don’t know, Lance. It was a diplomatic mission anyway, and maybe flirting wouldn’t have gone right with the crown prince.” Allura watched intently the way the polish sticked to her nails, and how Lance did it without messing it up.

“I would have gone for him.” Lance shrugged, letting go of her hand. She started waving it around, like Lance taught her to, and gave him her other hand. “That being said, I would go for most anyone.”

“Yes, I suppose you would.” She giggled quietly and Lance smiled back. They stayed in silence for a while, Lance working on her nails, cutting the cuticles and pushing back the skin, before applying the first coating. Allura never took her eyes off his handiwork. “I still don't understand how you manage to do this without making any mistakes.”

“I used to do it a lot back on earth.” Lance suddenly got the look he always had when he talked about Earth. Allura came to understand that it was homesickness that made him look that way and she wondered if her face also changed when she talked about Altea. “I used to do it by myself at first. Got better with time. Then my older sister caught me and taught me how to do it better, without making a mess out of everything.”

“That’s nice.” She remembered Lance talking about his older sister before. She was tall and thin, just like Lance, but was really shy and introverted. Lance once told a story of when she got her first glasses, she was really anxious about wearing them outside, so he resorted to wearing the most extravagant outfit so people wouldn't notice her. “You are talking about Alexandra, right?”

“Ahah, yeah, she is the best. When we go back to Earth, you and everyone else have got to meet her! And the rest of my family too! Did I tell you about when my uncle Pablo tried to-” His story was cut short when a scream resounded the halls. 

Without even looking at each other, they ran out to the Hall and got in battle stance. A couple of seconds of silence before another scream rippled through the quiet. This time, they could make out the source of the scream. Shiro’s room. Without wasting any minute, they ran towards it and, cautiously, opened the door.

Inside, Shiro laid on the bed. The bed sheets and pillow were on the ground, while Shiro himself trashed and muttered under his breath. From time to time, he would let out a scream, his face contorted in pain, sweat dripping down his whole body.

Both of them knew he had night terrors, but it was the first time either of them actually saw one happening with their own eyes. It was terrifying. Taking in a gulp of air, Lance started making his towards Shiro, but a hand grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t.” He looked back and there stood Keith, looking at Shiro, pain clear on his face. “We have to let him sleep it off.”

Keith had probably dealt with Shiro like this before, so Lance simply nodded and stepped back. They all looked at Shiro for a minute, the silence filled with mutters, grunts, and the ever so often scream. And with each scream, all of them flinched, inching closer to each other, to try and find some closure. 

Finally, when a violent scream left his throat, none of them could take it. Allura buried her head on Keith's chest, sobs unheard over all the screaming. Lance grabbed onto Keith's hand with his own, and buried his head on his shoulder, not able to look anymore. Keith held onto them for dear life, trying to mute the screams that were coming out of his best friend, his brother, and shut his eyes tight.

With time, more people entered the room and witnessed what was happening. First was Pidge, who when she first sees the scene, her first instinct is to go running towards Shiro. She was grabbed by Lance and his free arm wrapped her in a tight hug. She trashed for a while, but his grip only tightened, and she finally gave in, melting into his embrace, tears streaming down her face.

Next was Hunk. He immediately realized what was going on and tried to hold everyone with his larger frame. They all inched even closer together, so they could be held better by their friend.

Lastly came Coran, as quiet as the mice that followed him. He simply puts one of his hands on the princess’ shoulder, his free hand curled up almost painfully. The four mice each went to their paladins and tried to console them.

The scene stays like that for some minutes.

And with time, the screaming decreases and the trashing stops. Soon, all that's left as proof of the nightmare is the heavy breathing coming out of his mouth and the pool of sweat underneath him. No one knows what to do for a couple of seconds, until finally Keith slowly starts making his way over.

He grabs the bed sheets and lays them over Shiro again, sits down on the bed, and starts brushing the hair out of his face. Shiro stays asleep.

The next one to move is Pidge. She moves to Shiro's bedside and takes hold of his hand, knowing not to move too quickly or forcefully, or else he will wake up.

Soon everyone else is moving, taking their places close to Shiro, as if it was something they always did. Lance sat on the end of the bed, back against the wall and knees up to his chest. Allura sits on the floor, between Keith and Pidge, and lays her head on her arms, which were crossed on the bed, and simply looks at Shiro. Hunk grabs the pillow from the floor and carefully lays it beside Shiro, even if he won't use it. He, then, sits besides Lance, who plonks his head against Hunk’s chest. Coran remains standing, just watching as the paladins care together for their friend. The mice are quick to join in too, as they surround Shiro and make themselves comfortable against him.

Time passed and, thanks to the lack of sleep, everyone slowly started to fall asleep. Coran, who was just watching them, approached when he was sure everyone was asleep. He kissed everyone's forehead goodnight, for these were his paladins and they deserved their sleep. It was tiring to fight a war and these teenagers were right there in the front lines. They, over everyone else, deserved a good night's rest. He left the room, leaving them to each others in the morning, and went back to his room. He also deserved his sleep.

 

When morning came, Shiro woke up tired. He must have had another night terror during the night. But this time waking up felt different.

Most of the times, when he woke up from a night terror, Keith would probably be there, seeing as he was a light sleeper and they shared a wall. But this time the room felt fuller.

Opening his eyes, the scene in front of him warmed up his heart.

Sat in his usual position was Keith, hand resting in his head and head leaning against the wall. On the floor was Allura, sitting with her arms resting on the bed and her head laying on them, a trail of drool leaving her mouth. Holding onto his hand and laying on his arm was Pidge, bed head worse than he ever saw it. On the end of the bed, Hunk and Lance sat, cuddling together and sleeping soundlessly. Even the mice were scattered around him, leaning against him anyway.

With a smile on his face, the castle's humming lulled him back to sleep, knowing fully well that his family would always be there for him, for better or for worse.

**Author's Note:**

> I was supposedly going to post this for the platonic week happening but I was a bit late... Oops ^^' Anyway, this was written before season 4 came out so no Matt :( still love him tho. My tumblr is @stroming-raumo so feel free to follow me! My next project will be the secret santa I'm working on so ;)))) look out for that ;)))) its gonna be good.
> 
> Kudos and Comments are always appreciated!!


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